Watch Jaws

"Don't go in the water."

Jaws is a horror movie classic. Unlike the typical horror movie that relies on slasher villains, jump scares, and outrageous elements of mysticism and the supernatural, the classic 1975 Steven Spielberg-penned epic relies on something that is dominant and horrific and mesmerizing- the great white shark. Yes, it is true that sharks are not quite as spiteful as the shark in the ocean adventure film Jaws. But this does not mean that sharks aren't excellent non-traditional villains. The teeth-clenching power of the great white shark, and the vengeful spirit of the shark's maniacal dedication to kill and eat, makes Jaws a classic in horror and adventure.

The story begins as Martin Brody is trying to help the local beach city Amity Island get over some recent shark attacks. Yet as the attacks continue, a victim's mother places a $10,000 bounty on the killer shark, which catches the eye of local fisherman and shark enthusiast, Quint.

With the scientifically minded Matt Hooper, the trio go off on a boat to capture the shark, reign in the reward money, and relax knowing their families are just a bit safer in the ocean.

The film contains a classic story from Quint, who recalls his adventures at sea being surrounded by hundreds of sharks, as the crew got picked off one by one after a sinking. The story is intimately linked to reality, and gives a haunting synergy to the film and its unnamed villain.

As the story progresses, the crew have some luck in ringing some floating buoys to the shark so they can locate his location from the surface. Of course, the shark finds ways to bring the buoys underwater, using his brute force and weight, and keeping the crew on edge.

The shark has some success, and it offers an eerie and sometimes gruesome account of shark attacks. Without spoiling the ending, the film is an explosive tour-de-force of horror, action, and adventure, all mixed into to create one of the definitive genre films of the 70's.

Spielberg has gone on to produce a string of epics in his time, where he reigned supreme into the 90's with massive hits and award-winning films. Yet there is something instantly iconic about Jaws that never seems to vanish. Many consider it the perfect film. As non-traditional as it is, Jaws covers all the major aspects of brilliant film-making.